Building wall



' BU,ILD|NG WALL.

APPLICATIONFIILED JAN- 26,1921. 7

Patented June 27,1922.

2 w ns-surfer 1.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR W 7' a Hehfy W. Hawaii I I A TTORNEY H. W. HOWELL.

BUILDING WALL- APPL'ICATION FILED JAN. 26, 1921.

1,421,007. Patented June 27, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W/TNESSES nw/E/vm I Henry W HQweH T all whom it may concern .Be it known that I, HENRY WARD HOWELL,

material.

PATENT" OFFICE.

. vBaum? WARD HOWELL, or BUTTE, MONTANA.

- BUILDING. WALL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 11119 27 1922.

Application filed'J'anuary 26,1921. Serial No. 439,988.

a citizen of the United. States, and afresident. of Butte, in the county of Silver Bow and State of Montana, have invented certain My invention relates to concrete wall structuresfor buildings, and the purpose of my invention is the provision of a building wall comprised of standard units of various sizes which are formed and can be associated with each other so as-to-provide walls of any desired thickness while employing substantially the same amount of labor and Furthermore -my invention pro.- vides novel means for securing the buildingunits in wall formation and against movement one with relation to the other whereby a building wall of an extremely simple, durable and efficient construction is formed,

I will describeone form of building unit and two forms'ofbuilding walls, each embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims. I

In the accompanying drawings:

Figurel is a view showing in perspective one form of building. unit embodying my invention. v v

Figure 2 1s a'vertical sectional vlew of a building wall constructed in accordance with my invention and in which is employed the building units shown in Figure 1.

F igure 3' is a plan showing the channel for the concrete beam hereinafter described.

. Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional: View of the spacing strip employed in ,the

wall shown in Figures 2 and 3.-

Figures 5 and. 6 are views similar to Figure 4 showingmodified forms of spacing tional viewof a building wall embodying strips. 1

' Figure 7 is a horizontal section through the wall takenon the line -77 of Figure 2. Figure 8 is a fragmentary. vertical seemy inventionshowing a method .of temlpo'rari'ly securing the buildingunits in their proper relative-position pending the casting of the concrete beam hereinafter described.--

Similar reference characters refer to simi-' lar parts in each of the several views.

Refer-ring now to the drawings, my invention in; its present embodiment consists Y in the main of a plurality of units or slabs S of the same length and thickness but of varying widths, each of which, as shown in Figure 1, comprises a flat panel 15 of rectangular form formed along its lower edge with a bottom flange 16 connected at its ends to the lower ends. of side flanges 17 The upper ends of the side flanges 17 are connected bya top flange 18, it being noted that the side flanges terminate rearwardly of. the upper end of the panel'15 with the flange 18 occupying a corresponding position. This portion of the panel 15 projecting above the top flange 18 is relatively thick and constitutes a channel forming lip' designated at 15 as will be hereinafter described. The longitudinal edges of the panel 15 are formed with grooves 15 in Figure 1 coextensive in length .with the'panel and which are designed to coact. with the grooves of an adjacent slab to provide channels adapted for the reception of plaster to effect an inis reinforced in any suitable manner, the

side flanges 17 v being furtherreinfo-rced by imbedding rods R- arranged in the manner shown in Figure 1 so that their opposite ends project above and below the top and bottom flanges, respectively.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, I have hereshown one form of building wall embodying my invention which is constructed in. the main of the building units just described. As here shown, the building wall contains an upper story and a'lower story, the latter being made up of a plurality of units S which are embedded at their lower ends in a concrete base. designated at B. The units S are arranged in confronting relation to each other so that their flanges 16, 17 and 18 are. interposed between the panels 15 of any two confrontin units. As

shownin Figures 3 and 7 the building units Either method may be employed in constructing the building wall I having shown the two methods to demonstrate the flexibilityof the-system. Thestaggered arrangement is perhaps preferable because of the disalinement of the joint between adjacent units. Other advantages of this form will become apparent as the description pro-3 ceeds.

As previously described, the building units comprising the lower story of the wall are in part secured in vertical position by partially embedding them in the concrete base B. As a further securing means, the lower projecting ends ofthe rods R likewise may extend into the base B. The building units constituting theinner side of the wall are maintained in definite spaced relation to the units comprising the outer sides of the wall and in alinement with each other by means of spacing strips T and'T. arranged between the confronting edges of .the flanges 16 and 18, as clearly shown in Figure 2. These spacing strips are preferably formed of wood, the spacing strip T reposing on the base B and thus serving to prevent any inward movement of the lower ends of the units. The upper ends of the units are maintained in alinement and in definite spaced relation to each other by the spacing strip T which is supported in' position between the flanges 18 by a metallic plate or-strip .19 which is secured to the upper side of the spacing strip and is-of awidth exceeding that of the strip so as to provide flanges which rest on the upper sides of the flanges 18 and thus support thespacing' strip in proper spacing position. In Figure 4, a detail transverse sectional view of the spacing strip T is shown, while in by the spacing strips, a channel coextensivein length with the wall is formed at the upper end of the units and between the lips lo This channel is shaped for the reception of concrete, which, when hardened. is

adapted to effectively secure the units 0t the inner side of the wall to theunits of the outer side of the wall, and to maintain,

all in permanent alinement, and at the same time to form a base upon which thesecond story of the wall is adapted to be formed. In this manner a monolithic beam may be cast around an-entire building. v v

The thickness of the'wall may be varied by varying the width of the spacing strips. In this way, as shown in Figure 2, a shelf A may be provided at the top of any story of a building to support the floor ofthe next upperstory.=

To maintain the building units in wall formation pending the casting of the concrete beam, the upper ends of the rods R may be attached to the spacing strip by wires or other metallic ties, as shown in Figure 8, or may be rigidly connected to each other by binding wires 20 and a connecting rod 21. It is conceivable that there may be still other ways of binding the building units togethereither directly or, by being tied on both sides to the spacing stripf In this man-ner the several building units are held in firm engagement with the spacing strip T so that the introduction of the concrete into the channel can be carried out without fear of disturbing the arrangement of the building units. This application of the concrete to the channel obviously embeds the upper ends of the rod R, the wire 20, and the rod 21 within this concrete so that .when the latter is set, those elements provide reinforcing means which prevent disintegration of the body of concrete.

As shown in Figures 3 and 7, any two adjacent building units are rigidly connected at their contacting edges against lateral movement by means of plaster or cement grout indicated at 22 which is introduced.

into the channels formed by the grooves 15 so formed as to provide dove-tailed channels.

As shown in Figure 2. the second story of the building wall is relatively narrow as comparedwith the first story. this reduction in width allowing for the supporting of the upper flooras has been described. The second story is made up of building units S having the same structural details as the building units comprised in the first story. The spacing of the units comprised in the inner side of the wall from the units comprised in the outer side of the wall isnecessarily less. and to this end relatively narrower spacing strips T and T are provided. The lips 15 of the units of the upper story likewise forma channel in which concrete may be deposited for forming a base adapted for the support of another story or the roof structure. I 1' It should be understood that the elements herein referred to as being made of concrete may be made of any like plastic material.

From the preceding. description it will be manifest that I have provided a building wall made up of a plurality of building units of' standard sizes. and varying only in width,

and providing an inexpensive form of concrete wall construction with the elimination of wooden or-metal forms. Such building units are highly advantageous in the construction of a building wall in that they provide a wall.of extremely simple and durable construction, one having dead air spaces. which prevent the transmission of sound. moisture, heat and cold'therethrough, and finallya wall which, by the employment of spacing strips of various widths, can be varied in thickness while at the same time employing substantially the same amount of labor and materials.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of building walls embodying my invention and one form of building unit therefor, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: I

1. A building wall comprising building units arranged in spaced relation to each other, flanges extending inwardly from the confronting faces of the units, spacing strips interposed between the horizontal flanges of confronting units, and means for securing the units in engagement with the spac' ing strips.

2. A building wall comprising, concrete building units arranged in rows, with the units of each row interlocked to each other .at their edges, separate means interposed between the rows for maintaining the units of one row in spaced relation to the units of the other row, and means for securlng the rows of units against relative movement with respect to the first means.

3. A building wall comprising building units arranged in rows in spaced relation with the confronting faces of the units in said rows so shaped at their upper ends as to form opposing floor portions of a channel leaving an intervening space therebetween, and means extended across said intervening space to complete the floor of said channel.

4. A building wall comprising, building units arranged in double rows said rows being in spaced relation with the confronting sides of the units in said rows so shaped as to form at their upper ends opposing floor portions of a channel adapted for the reception of concrete, and means for completing said floor and filling the interval between the upper ends of said units in the bottom of such channel, and spacing and alining the row of units.

5. A building wall comprising, a concrete base, building units imbedded in the base at the lower ends and arranged in rows with the units of each row arranged edge to edge and interlocked against relative lateral movement, flanges formed on the confronting faces of the units of each row, and spacing strips interposed between the flanges for determining the thickness of the wall, and arranged to provide with the flanges a channel at the upper ends of the units and between the rows said channel filled with concrete, for the purpose described.

5. A building wall comprising, building units arranged in rows with the units of each row contacting with each other and interlocked at their edges against lateral movement, flanges formed on the confronting faces of the units of the two rows in such manner to provide at the upper ends of the units between the rows side portions of a concrete receiving channel, spacing and alining strips interposed between the rows of units and engaged by the flanges, rods extending through certain of the flanges and projectin into said channel, and means engaged w1th said rods for connecting the units of one row with the corresponding units of the other row, said means being disposed within said channel.

7. A building wall comprising, building units arranged in rows with the units of each row contacting with each other and interlocked at their edges against lateral movement, flanges formed on the confronting faces of the units of the two rows in such manner to provide at the upper ends of the units between the rows portions of a concrete receiving channel, spacing and alining strips interposed between the rows of units and engaged by the flanges, rods extending through certain of the flanges and projecting into said channel, and means for maintaining the building units in contact with the said strips comprising, a connecting rod arranged within the channel, and wires connected to said connecting rod and to the first rods.

8. A building unit for walls comprising a panel, tapered flanges extending laterally from one side of the panel and so arranged as to provide at one end of the panel aterminal flange, and rods extending vertically through the flanges with their opposite ends projecting from the flanges.

9. A building unit for walls com rising a panel, flanges extending laterally rom one face of the panel, and so arranged as to provide at one end of the panel a terminal flange, and rods extending vertically through the flanges with an end projecting.

10. A building unit for walls comprising a panel, tapered flanges extending laterally from one face of the panel and so arranged as to provide at one end of the panel a terminal flange, and rods extending vertically through certain of the flanges.

11. A buildingunit for walls comprising a panel, flanges extending laterally from.

one face of the panel and so arranged as to provide at one end of the panel a terminal flange, and rods extending vertically through the flanges with their upper ends project ing from the flanges.

HENRY WARD HOWELL. 

